Trunk-fastener.



J. W. SEWARD.

TRUNK FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 31, 1913.

1 ,O94,867, Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

1 v mm wi tmmoeo ENT FFTQ i JOSEPH 1V. SEVIAED, OF PETER-SBURG, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO SEVJAR D TRUNK AND BAG COMPANY, OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

TBUNK-FASTENEB.

LOQQLSGT.

To alZ whom may concern Be it known that I, J osnrr-r lV. SEWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Petersburg, in the county of Dinwiddie and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. Y

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in trunk fasteners and more particularly to that class of trunk fasteners known as spring hasps for fastening the lid of the trunk to the body; the object being to provide a spring hasp fastener with means for disengaging the hasp from the retaining lug by a pivoted releasing member carried by the lid and provided with a handle portion into which the fingers are adapted to be inserted so that by exerting an outward and upward pressure upon the same, the spring hasp will be thrown ofl of the retaining member and the lid lifted, thereby overcoming the disadvantages now existing in having to insert the finger under the. spring hasp in order to disengage the same from the retaining lug.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trunk fastener which is exceedingly simple and cheap in construction and one in which the releasing lever is mounted within a housing in order to protect the same so that all danger of the same being accidentally operated in the shipping of the trunk is prevented said lever forming a lift by means of which, the lid is raised from the body of the trunk.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide a trunk fastener which is so constructed that the releasing means is automatically accomplished when the handl' grasped to lift the lid.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawingsFigurc 1, is a side elevation of a portion of a trunk showing the application of my improved construction of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 31, 1913.

Patented Apr. 28, 19:1 1.

Serial No. 809,703.

trunk fastener thereto; Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the member carried by the body showing the lid member in section; Fig. 3, is a similar view showing the releasing lever moved outwardly in order to disengage the pivoted hasp from the retaining lug; and Fig. 4, is a front elevation of the lid member of the fastener.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts in theseveral figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the body of the trunk, 2 the lid thereof, to which my improved construction of trunk fastener 3 is shown applied which is composed of a body member 4 and a lid member 5 arranged to cooperate with one another when the lid is in closed position upon the body of the trunk in the ordinary manner of trunk fasteners now in use.

The body member 4 comprises a plate forming a base upon which is arranged a housing 6 having oppositely disposed bearing openings 7 formed in its sides, in which is pivotally mounted, a pivoted bar 8 of a hasp loop 9, said pivoted bar being provided with an enlargement 10 which is engaged by a spring 11 for holding the hasp in either locked or unlocked position, as will be later described. The free end of the loop forming the hasp is slightly offset as shown at 12 and the upper end of the housing 6 is provided with a dowel-socket 13.

The lid member 5 comprises a base plate having a retaining lug 14 formed thereon provided with a dowel 15 adapted to extend into the dowel-socket 13 of the housing 6 when the lid is moved into closed position and in the movement of the retaining lug 1 1, the spring hasp 9 is moved out of its path by coming into contact with the offset portion 12 so that the spring hasp will be thrown over the retaining lug when the lid is in closed position. The retaining lug 14 of the member 5 is provided with oppositely disposed openings forming bearings for the reduced connecting bar 16 of a loop lever 17 which is provided with a handle portion 18 at its upper end shaped to receive the fingers as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The con necting bar 16 and the adjacent side bars of the lover I? are engaged by the spring in when said hasp is in folded position over the retaining lug 1%; said hasp holding the lever against the base plate of the member 5 within the guard housing 18' which is formed on the member and surrounds the handle portion of the lever in order to prevent the same from being accidentally thrown outwardly by being struck by an o ject when the trunk is being handled.

ll members 4: and 5 are preferably .i JlQ formed of sheet metal having their respective portions struck up therefrom and are secured in position upon the body and lid of the trunk by suitable fastening means such as rivets, screws and the like, in such position in respect to each other that when the lid is lowered when the spring hasp in raised position, it will ride over the retaining lug so as to fasten the lid when the same is closed.

l l hen the fastening device is in closed position as shown in 1 and 2 and it is desired to raise the lid, the fingers are forced in the handle portion of the lever 17 and by drawing outwardly slightly, the lever is rocked upon its pivot so as to throw the adjacent portion of the side bars thereof into engagement with the spring hasp in order to disengage the same from the retaining hi and as an upward pressure is being exerted upon the lever at the same time, the lid will be raised.

lit will be seen that the loop lever and its connecting bar are so constructed that the enlarged portions of the connecting bar cooperate with the spring hasp when the loop lever is moved outwardly against the tension of the spring of the hasp so as to move the same out of the path of the retaining lug and when in this position, the lid is free to be swung upwardly into open position. li hile l have shown and described a particu lar construction of a body member and a lid member, I wish it to be clearly understood that do not wish to limit myself to the construction heroin shown, as various other forms of constructions could be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention, the sole novelty of this invention being to provide means for disengaging a spring hasp loop from its retaining lug by the means of a lift lever arranged in the path of travel of said spring loop and capable of being swung outwardly against the tension of the spring of the loop in order to disengage the same therefrom; said lever being normally held in folded position against the lid of he trunk within a housing by the spring hasp loop.

the disadvantage of first releasing the spring hasp by inserting the finger under the same is dispensed with and a lift is provided in the form of a lever arranged to cooperate with the spring hasp in such a manner as to disengage the same from the retaining lug, whereby the lid can be readily raised.

I claim:

1. A trunk fastener, comprising a body member formed of a plate having a housing struck up and outwardly therefrom, a cooperating lid member comprising a plate having a lug and a substantially semi-circular guard struck up and outwardly therefrom, said guard being in a plane above the lug, a pivoted springaetuated hasp loop mounted in the housing of said body memher and adapted to embrace the lug of said lid member, a lever pivotally mounted within the lug of the lid member and having a handle portion adapted to it within the guard member thereof, said lever being engaged by said hasp loop when in locked position and adapted to be disengaged there from by outward movement of said lever.

2. In a trunk fastener, the combination with a spring-actuated hasp loop, of an outwardly projecting retaining lug engaged by said hasp, a pivoted lever carried by said retaining lug engaged by said hasp for nor mally holding said lever in raised position, said lever being capable of moving said hasp off of said lug.

3. In a trunk fastener, the combination with a body member, of a co'ciperating lid member, a pivoted spring-actuated hasp loop carried b the body member, a retainin g lug carried by the lid member to receive said hasp loop, and a lever carried by said lid member engaged by said hasp loop when in locked position and adapted to be disengaged therefrom by the outward movement of said lever.

4-. A trunk fastener, comprising a body member having a housing, a pivoted springretained hasp loop mounted in said housing, said housing being provided with a socket, a lid member having an outwardly project ing retaining lug, a dowel extending from said lug adapted to cooperate with said socket, a loop lever mounted within said retaining lug and adapted to be engaged by said hasp loop for holding said loop lever in vertical position, said loop lever having a handle portion forming a lift for disengaging the hasp loop from said retaining lug when lifting said lid.

5. A trunk fastener, comprising a lid member and a body member, said lid member being provided with an outwardly projecting lug having a depending dowel exthis construction, it will be seen that tending therefrom, a housing formed on said body member having a dowel socket to receive said dowel, a s ring-actuated pivoted loop hasp mounted Within said housing capable of embracing said lug, a loop lever having its cross bar pivotally mounted with said lug when moved in an outward direction.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH W. SEXVARDQ in said lug adapted to be held in contact with Witnesses: szud lid member by said loop lever, and HARVEY SEWARD, capable of disengaging said loop hasp from M. B. COLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

